The industry has been inundated with the term “spectrum crunch” because of the bandwidth requirements for keeping up with the demand for mobile data. While this is an issue, the spectrum crunch will not be a detrimentally defining factor for large operators in 2013. The Big Four have outwardly communicated confidence in their individual spectrum positions for the next several years. However, the spectrum crunch will pose a challenge for the smaller, more regional operators. Building out and upgrading a wireless network to handle the bandwidth needs for today and tomorrow is not a small task, especially for smaller operators. This will lead to some of them shopping around to be acquired, or perhaps building more solidified partnerships with the large national carriers, which is where 2013 will get interesting for the Big Four.

Consolidation will be a strong theme in 2013, however, this will not necessarily be an easy task. The FCC has made it clear that any merger or acquisition will be a tough road, even if the consolidation is with a smaller regional carrier. Therefore, any merger or acquisition deals will have to be carefully selected to provide the most value without “rocking the regulatory boat” too much. Operators will need a thorough understanding of the network, whether it is the demographic makeup of its target’s current holdings or the depth of spectrum for not only their targets, but themselves as well. This will be a key factor in avoiding regulatory risks associated with consolidation. As a result, the spectrum crunch will make access to geospatial network intelligence more important than ever for executives and decision makers to make informed business decisions in 2013. (Read more predictions)